DUBLIN, Ireland, CMC – Hayley Matthews’s maiden Twenty20 International hundred lifted West Indies Women to their second highest-ever total in the shortest format, paving the way for a 72-run crushing of Ireland Women and a clean sweep of the three-match series here yesterday.
Sent in at Sydney Parade, West Indies amassed 188 for one off their 20 overs with the right-handed Matthews stroking an unbeaten 107 off just 62 deliveries.
She struck seven fours and nine sixes to dominate the Irish bowling in an unbroken 162-run, second wicket stand with Chedean Nation who carved out an unbeaten 63 off 46 balls.
The total was just short of the West Indies Women’s all-time best of 191 recorded nine years ago against the Netherlands in Potchefstroom.
Ireland, in reply, never challenged the difficult target and finished on 116 for three off their 20 overs, despite an unbeaten 55 from opener Mary Waldron.
Captain Kim Garth followed up her half-century in Tuesday’s second game with a knock of 45, sharing a 94-run, second wicket stand with Waldron.
It was the 21-year-old Matthews, however, who took centre stage. She overcame the loss of opening partner Britney Cooper for 10 in in the fifth over to set about the Irish bowling with relish, reaching her half-century off 41 deliveries with the first of three successive sixes off leg-spinner Celeste Raack in the 15th over which went for 22 runs.
She then brought up her hundred at the start of the final over off 59 deliveries by lifting seamer Lara Maritz to the wide long on boundary.
Nation, meanwhile, produced a career-best performance with her second T20I half-century, following up her maiden one against Pakistan in Karachi last January.
She raised her landmark in the 17th over off just 37 balls en route to counting six fours and two sixes.
The target was always out of Ireland’s reach but they ensured there was no embarrassment by batting out the overs.
Left-armer Stacy-Ann King claimed Gaby Lewis cheaply for eight in the fourth over with 17 runs on the board but Waldron and Garth then defied the West Indies attack.
Waldron faced 62 balls and struck four boundaries while Garth hit five fours off 46 deliveries before falling to the first ball of the final over, holing out to long-off off captain Stafanie Taylor’s off-spin.
Taylor also struck again with the final ball of the match to finish with two for 19, when she bowled 19-year-old Rebecca Stokell for four.
